Toy boat

ABSTRACT

A toy submarine has an elongated hollow plastic body formed by two halves bonded together and contains a propulsion system including a cylindrical water tube, a piston biased toward a rear position by a compression coil spring disposed in the tube, and a cord extending forwardly in the tube from the piston and having a member external of the body for manual pulling the piston against the force of the piston spring thereby drawing in water behind the piston whereby upon release of the piston the body will be propelled by expulsion of water from the tube by the piston. The center of gravity is such that the body will nose over to dive when the piston is in forward position and will level off and will surface when the piston reaches rear position. The body also forms a pair of outrigger located torpedo tubes.

United States Patent "ill Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant'Examiner-D. L. Weinhold Attorney-Duane C. Bowen ABSTRACT: A toy submarine has an elongated hollow plastic body formed by two halves bonded together and contains a propulsion system including a cylindrical water tube, a piston biased toward a rear position by a compression coil spring disposed in the tube; and a cord extending forwardly in the tube from the piston and having a member external of the body for manual pulling the piston against the force of the piston spring thereby drawing in water behind the piston whereby upon release of the piston the body will be propelled by expulsion of water from the tube by the piston. The center of gravity is such that the body will nose over to dive when the piston is in forward position and will level off and will surface when the piston reaches rear position. The body also forms a pair of outrigger located torpedo tubes.

' PATENIEDHAR23I97| 3,571,966

sum 1 BF 3 IN VENTOR.

JAMES E. PHELPS ATTORNEY "PATENTEDNARNIQYI 3,571,966

SHEET 2 or 3 INVENTOR.

JAMES E. PHELPS ATTORNEY PATENTEDMW 3 I97! saw 3 or 3 v INVENTOR.

JAMES E. PHELPS MW ATTORNEY TOY BOAT My invention concerns a toy boat, particularly a submarine, which is propelled by the action of a piston in a tube forcing water rearwardly from the boat body. Buoyancy of the body and the shift of center of gravity due 'to piston movement can control dive during propulsion and later leveling off and surfacing. Adjustable elevators is an optional diving control.

There have been prior attempts to provide toy submarine but it is not believed they have satisfied all desirable features of such craft. The considerations are complex. For the toy to have sustained interest, it should be propelled. The propulsion mechanism should have high reliability. Toys that break easily are too common. On the other hand, the toy market is quite limited in price so that the reliable mechanism must "be designed to be fabricated at a relatively low cost compared with operating mechanisms on many articles other than toys which can sell at much higher prices. The propulsion and control means, furthermore, should provide an interesting and realistic action and it is considered with a submarine that the action must include diving and. surfacing. The propulsion length of travel should be substantial consistent with the foregoing considerations. The appearance of the body should either be realistic of present submarines orconsistent with the realities or the folklore of future submarine advances. It is additive of interest to provide torpedoes on such toy submarine.

easily get out of hand in a low cost item of this complexityJ t is an object of my invention to effect the best feasible design and compromise of the above factors in a toy boat design, particularly a submarine, including matters of price, reliability, realistic appearance and action, manufacturability, etc.

My invention will be best understood, together with additional objectives and advantages thereof, from a reading of the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of parts forming a specific embodiment of my design of a toy submarine or the like.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the upper half of the body viewed from below.

FIG. 3 is a view from the side taken primarily in section.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the torpedo assembly.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view. 7

FIG. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are views taken primarily in section on lines 66, 7-7, 88 and 9-9 respectively of FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the tail of a submarine of modified construction.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the tail of the submarine shown in FIG. 10.

Referring first to the disclosure of FIG. 1, the principal parts of the body 10 and propulsion and torpedo mechanisms include upper and lower body members 12, 14, a cylindrical water tube 16, a nozzle 18, a compression coil wire spring 20, a piston assembly 22 formed from forward disc spring abutment 24 and rear piston member 26, a cord 25, a torpedo 3,0, and a torpedo latchand trigger member 32.

These parts, with the exception of spring 20, are formed of plastic. The body and/or other parts may be molded from a plastic such as polystyrene of low density of less than one (water) to help with flotation. Parts preferably will be secured together by bonding with suitable adhesives compatible with the plastics used. It will be understood from the foregoing that all of the principal parts can be readily molded from plastics on a high production, low cost basis.

To described the body 10 in more detail, it will be observed that the shape is consistent with advanced submarine construction in at least the science fiction (folklore) sense. By this is meant that the body shape would have appeal to youngsters from what they know of future submarine design from television or the like and it will be observed that science fiction often anticipates actual production design in general concepts. More concretely, it will be observed the upper half of the body has acabin 36 and windows 38. The windows are actually openings which communicate with the hollow interior of body l0 for ingress and egress of water. There is a forward nose blade 40 extending from the body nose and fairing into the cabin. Nose blade 40 represents means to ram and damage another vessel. The rear of body portion 12 has a vertical stabilizer 42 and has horizontal stabilizers 44. It will be noted on lower half 14 that there is a lower rear fin 46. Ejection of water from the rear end of body 10 in propulsion is through an opening 50 in the rear end of the body, or actually through nozzle 18 which fits in opening 50,'and water ejection will be received in an annulus 52 formed by upper and lower halves 54, 56 which acts relative to the egress of water from the nozzle in the manner of a Ventun' or jet pump to pick additional water by suction to increase thrust.

Body 10 could be formed with right and left halves or could be otherwise formed, but the use of upper and lower halves 12, 14 is suitable and is particularly adapted to the formation of the outrigger torpedo tubes. I

An opening 60 in the forward end of the lower half 14 of the body 10 provided for ingress and egress of water into the body and also accommodates cord 25 that extends therethrough. Opening 60 and the cord assembly have some resemblance to an opening for an anchor chain and to an anchor and chain.

The interior of upper and lower half l2, 14 of the body are shaped to receive water tube 16 which is preferably cylindrical internally and externally. Referring particularly to F IGS. l and 2, it will be seen that there is a'flrst forward annular ridge 62 therein and in effect forming a groove 64 which receives the forward end of compression spring 20 to hold the same as it is compressed by the pull of cord 25 on piston 26. There is a second forward annular ridge 66 forming in effect an annular groove 68 which receives the forward end of water tube 16. The nozzle 18 may be bonded or otherwise secured or abutted to the rear end of tube 16. Nozzle 18 has an enlarged diameter portion 70 and a reduced diameter portion 72 (both flaring) which in effect forms a shoulder 74 which abuts against a third rear ridge 76, or, in effect, is received in an annular groove 78, It will be understood that upper and lower halves 12, 14 of body 10 are bonded together along their mating edges.

Cord 25 has an external knob 80 which is shaped somewhat suggestive of an anchor. Preferably cord 25, know 80, and piston 26 are formed as one piece, in a molding operation, out of plastic. Knob 80 of course is to be manually pulled to pull piston assembly 22 against compression spring 20. Forward disc spring abutment 24 of piston assembly 22 has a slit 84 whereby cord 25 may be slipped into place with the forward reduced diameter end 77 of piston member 26 received in the rearwardly facing cavity 79 of disc24. Piston 26 is formed flaring to the rear and has a rearwardly facing central cavity 81 which result in flaring, relatively thin walls which act to move water in front of the piston during rearward travel of the piston, and piston 26 is preferably toleranced to closely fit the interior diameter of water tube 16 to facilitate sealing the tube during rearward travel of the piston. The piston material is somewhat flexible and resilient which helps in achieving the above described action and also permits flexing of the piston when it is moved forwardly to draw water into tube 16 so that water can pass the sides of piston 26, so that piston 26 can be said to have the characteristics of a one-way valve. It will be understood that water tube 16 can be filled rapidly when water is able to pass piston 26 rearwardly, but filling of water tube 16 would be slow and difiicult if all resupply had to come through nozzle 18.

It will be understood that cord 25 is manually pulled by knob 80 biasing piston assembly 22 against the abutting compression spring 20 until piston assembly 22 is slidably moved forwardly in cylinder 16. In this spring compressed condition, the submarine is positioned in the water and when the cord is release, water is expelled rearwardly through nozzle 18 by piston 26 moving under the urging of spring 20. During the process of compressing the spring, water will be forced out of openings 60 and 38 and water will be drawn in behind piston 26 by passing through nozzle 18 and by passing rearwardly past piston 26.

The forward, reduced diameter end 83 of disc 24 is received in spring 20 which abuts the flange 85 of disc 24. In order for water to pass disc 24 it can not be as large as water tube 16, and three or four outstanding lugs 82 are provided to center disc 24 in tube 16.

Torpedo tubes 90 are formed in outrigger position alongside the hull of the toy submarine by upper and lower halves 92, 94. Upper halves 92 are formed as part of upper body half l2 and lower torpedo tube halves 94 are formed as a part of the lower half 14 of the body whereby, upon joining the body halves, the portions 92, 94 form the torpedo tubes 90 which have generally cylindrical interior configurations to accept torpedoes 40. Compression springs 96 are secured in place by lugs 98. When torpedoes 30 are forced into the torpedo tubes the compression springs 96 are compressed. When the torpedoes are released by trigger members 32, spring force propels the torpedoes 30.

Trigger or latch members 32 are fonned of rather flexible material and each has a lug 100 fitting into a groove 102 in a torpedo 30. It will be noted that the forward end of lug 100 has a slanted cam surface and each lug has a vertical rear face which will be understood to provide for ease of entry of torpedo into torpedo tube 90 and securing through groove 102 of the torpedo until released. The release is by means of depres sion of the rear trigger portion of member 32 thereby flexing the same until lug 100 is withdrawn from groove 102. The forward end of latch member 32 is formed with a groove 104 which fits on a lug 106 in the bottom of the torpedo tube thereby securing the latch piece in place.

Body preferably has such buoyancy as to float in fresh water with water breaking over the top of the body. Air cavities preferably are not used for buoyancy and buoyancy is achieved primarily by use of a plastic having a density of less than one, and preferably the only member having a density more than one is spring 20. The selection of a plastic achieving the buoyancy described above will be readily understood by those working in the plastic arts. As suggested above, main body parts could be molded from polystyrene of density somewhat less than one.

The center of gravity and buoyancy are preferably designed so the body will float at rest with its longitudinal axis substantially horizontal which will be the case if the proportions shown in the drawings are substantially followed. In modified designs provision of this horizontal flotation is within the skill of those working in the art. When spring is compressed and piston assembly 22 and cord are moved forwardly, the center of gravity is moved forward sufficiently to produce a slightly nosedown attitude of body 10. This means the body will dive when propelled in this condition. To review the cycle of operation, the body is propelled initially in a nose down attitude, causing the body to dive. As compression spring 20 assumes its uncompressed condition, the center of gravity moves rearwardly and body 10 assumes a horizontal disposition under water. As the speed decreases and the forces of buoyancy assume control, the vessel will surface, which gives it a cycle of operation characteristic of submarines.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show a different system to produce tilting of the axis of body 10. The horizontal stabilizers 44 have elevator flaps 120 which are adjustable in position up or down. it will be understood the body when propelled will tend to dive from the surface down when the elevator flaps 120 are secured in a down position and the body when propelled will tend to nose up to the surface from below the water when the elevator flaps 120 are secured in an up position. The influence of the flaps depend on vessel speed and will have no effect when the body 10 is at rest. The flaps 120 are provided by cuts or slots 122, 124 in horizontal stabilizers 44 at each end and by score or reduced thickness lines 126 at their inner sides thereby providing integral hinges. Small protruding bosses or detents 130 on vertical stabilizer 42 and lower fin 46 are used to catch the inner ends of flaps 120 to secure them in up or down positions. If rudder action is desired instead, the vertical stabilizer and/or the lower fin have the flaps and the horizontal stabilizers have the detents.

Having described my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise details of construction shown but instead want to cover those modifications which will occur to those skilled in the art upon learning of my invention.

lclaim:

l. The improvement in a toy vessel, comprising:

a. an elongated hollow plastic body having therein a tube having a cylindrical passageway aligned substantially with the longitudinal axis of said body and said body having forward opening means at the forward portion thereof communicating with the forward end of said passageway for inlet and outlet of water and having a rear nozzle, with a passage restricting rearwardly, at the rear portion thereof communicating directly with the rear end of said passageway for inlet of water and for direct rearward outlet of water in jet propulsion of said body;

b. a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical passageway, said piston having a rearwardly open central concavity and having thin, resilient, flexible, rearwardly-flaring sidewalls whereby said sidewalls make a substantially watertight seal in said cylindrical passageway in forcing water rearwardly in said passageway to propel said body when said piston moves rearwardly and whereby said sidewalls flex and separate from said cylindrical passageway permitting water to pass said piston when said piston moves forwardly so that in filling said passageway rearwardly of said piston all water does not have to pass through the restriction of the nozzle;

c. a compression coil spring in said passageway forward of said piston normally biasing said piston to a position at the rear end of said passageway whereby when said piston is brought forwardly in said passageway against the force of said spring and when said piston is released the piston will force water out said rear nonlc to propel said body; and

d. manually operable means connected with said piston operable to move said piston forwardly against said spring.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 in which said body has such buoyancy as to float in fresh water with water breaking over the top of said body, the center of gravity of said body being located so that said longitudinal axis of said body is substantially horizontal when said piston is in rear position and so that said longitudinal axis of said body is tipped nose down when said piston is brought to forward position and the weight distribution of said piston and said spring are moved forwardly whereby said body will dive in initial propulsion and will level off and surface when said piston resumes its rear position.

3. The subject matter of claim I in which there is a spring abutment disc between said spring and said piston with a series of outstanding lugs acting to center the disc in said passageway but permitting water to pass therebetween.

4. The subject matter of claim 3 in which said manually operable means includes a cord passing through said forward opening means and said passageway and having a knob at its forward end external of said body for manual grasping and said disc has a radial split to pass said cord.

5. The subject matter of claim 4 in which the rear end of said cord is secured to said piston by molding said knob, cord and piston as one part, said knob having an anchorlike shape.

6. The subject matter of claim 3 in which said compression coil spring is nearly the same diameter as said cylindrical passageway and said disc having an annular seat and flange receiving the rear end of said coil spring and said body having an annular seat immediately forward of said cylindrical passageway receiving and forming an abutment for the forward end of said coil spring.

7. The subject matter of claim 1 in which said nozzle is formed separately from said body and said body has a cavity receiving said nozzle.

8. The subject matter of claim 7 in which said tube is formed separately from said body and said nozzle abutting the rear end of aid tube and said body has upper and lower halves secured together on a horizontal medial plane and the interior of said upper and lower halves of said body defining a forward and a rear annular seat receiving the forward end of said tube and said noule respectively to retain the same.

9. The subject matter of claim 1 in which said body has an annulus on its outside formed immediately rearward of said nozzle and the annulus and nozzle having the relationships of a jet pump whereby as water is ejected from said nozzle it will pick up extra water which will be pulled through said annulus therewith to move a larger amount of water for thrust.

Ill. The subject matter of claim I- in which said body has upper and lower halves secured together on a horizontal medial plane and in which there are a pair of diametrically opposed torpedo tubes formed by said body at opposite sides thereof as torpedo receiving outriggers with forwardly-open, rearwardlyclosed, generally-cylindrical passages and a torpedo positioned in each outrigger passage to be forwardly fired therefrom, said outriggers being located at said horizontal medial plane so that each outrigger has an upper and a lower half forming a part of said upper and lower halves of said body, there being a compression spring between each torpedo and the rearwardly-closed end of the associated passage and secured in the outrigger, there being a trigger formed of flexible material for each outrigger and the lower half of each outrigger-having a cavity receiving the associated trigger, and each torpedo having a medial annular groove and each trigger having a lug positioned in their annular groove whereby when the compression spring in each outrigger is compressed as the associated torpedo is forced ther'eagainst in loading, the annular groove becomes engaged with the associated trigger lug to secure the torpedo until release, and whereby the torpedoes are fired by flexing of the triggers withdrawing said lugs from said annular grooves.

11. The subject matter of claim 1 in which there is a cabin formed at the forward portion of the upper half of said body and there are openings in said cabin for ingress of water into said cabin having the position and shapes of cabin windows, and in which the forward end of said body has a protruding vertical flange representing a nose blade for ramming other vessels.

12. The subject matter of claim 1 in which the tail of said body has a vertical stabilizer, a pair of horizontal stabilizers and a lower depending fin.

13. The subject matter of claim 12 in which at least part of said stabilizers have an adjustable flap for directing travel of said body when propelled.

14. The subject matter of claim 1-3 in which it is the horizontal stabilizers that have flaps, each flap being a portion of the trailing edge of one of said horizontal stabilizers which is-' separated at its ends from the remainder of said horizontal stabilizer to free the flap for movement, and each flap having a reduced thickness on a line spaced from said trailing edges thereby fonning an integral hinge for flexing the flaps, and the vertical tail component formed by said vertical stabilizer and tin having protruding bosses to catch the adjacent ends of said flaps to secure the flaps in adjusted positions.

15. The subject matter of claim 1 in which said body has a density less than one whereby flotation of said body is achieved. 1 

1. The improvement in a toy vessel, comprising: a. an elongated hollow plastic body having therein a tube having a cylindrical passageway aligned substantially with the longitudinal axis of said body and said body having forward opening means at the forward portion thereof communicating with the forward end of said passageway for inlet and outlet of water and having a rear nozzle, with a passage restricting rearwardly, at the rear portion thereof communicating directly with the rear end of said passageway for inlet of water and for direct rearward outlet of water in jet propulsion of said body; b. a piston slidably disposed in said cylindrical passageway, said piston having a rearwardly open central concavity and having thin, resilient, flexible, rearwardly-flaring sidewalls whereby said sidewalls make a substantially watertight seal in said cylindrical passageway in forcing water rearwardly in said passageway to propel said body when said piston moves rearwardly and whereby said sidewalls flex and separate from said cylindrical passageway permitting water to pass said piston when said piston moves forwardly so that in filling said passageway rearwardly of said piston all water does not have to pass through the restriction of the nozzle; c. a compression coil spring in said passageway forward of said piston normally biasing said piston to a position at the rear end of said passageway whereby when said piston is brought forwardly in said passageway against the force of said spring and when said piston is released the piston will force water out said rear nozzle to propel said body; and d. manually operable means connected with said piston operable to move said piston forwardly against said spring.
 2. The subject matter of claim 1 in which said body has such buoyancy as to float in fresh water with water breaking over the top of said body, the center of gravity of said body being located so that said longitudinal axis of said body is substantially horizontal when said piston is in rear position and so that said longitudinal axis of said body is tipped nose down when said piston is brought to forward position and the weight distribution of said piston and said spring are moved forwardly whereby said body will dive in initial propulsion and will level off and surface when said piston resumes its rear position.
 3. The subject matter of claim 1 in which there is a spring abutment disc between said spring and said piston with a series of outstanding lugs acting to center the disc in said passageway but permitting water to pass therebetween.
 4. The subject matter of claim 3 in which said manually operable means includes a cord passing through said forward opening means and said passageway and having a knob at its forward end external of said body for manual grasping and said disc has a radial split to pass said cord.
 5. The subject matter of claim 4 in which the rear end of said cord is secured to said piston by molding said knob, cord and piston as one part, said knob having an anchorlike shape.
 6. The subject matter of claim 3 in which said compression coil spring is nearly the same diameter as said cylindrical passageway and said disc having an annular seat and flange receiving the rear end of said coil spring and said body having an annular seat immediately forward of said cylindrical passageway receiving and forming an abutment for the forward end of said coil spring.
 7. The subject matter of claim 1 in which said nozzle is formed separately from said body and said body has a cavity receiving said nozzle.
 8. The subject matter of claim 7 in which said tube is formed separately from said body and said nozzle abutting the rear end of said tube and said body has upper and lower halves secured together on a horizontal medial plane and the interior of said upper and lower halves of said body defining a forward and a rear annular seat receiving the forward end of said tube and said nozzle respectively to retain the same.
 9. The subject matter of claim 1 in which said body has an annulus on its outside formed immediately rearward of said nozzle and the annulus and nozzle having the relationships of a jet pump whereby as water is ejected from said nozzle it will pick up extra water which will be pulled through said annulus therewith to move a larger amount of water for thrust.
 10. The subject matter of claim 1 in which said body has upper and lower halves secured together on a horizontal medial plane and in which there are a pair of diametrically opposed torpedo tubes formed by said body at opposite sides thereof as torpedo receiving outriggers with forwardly-open, rearwardly-closed, generally-cylindrical passages and a torpedo positioned in each outrigger passage to be forwardly fired therefrom, said outriggers being located at said horizontal medial plane so that each outrigger has an upper and a lower half forming a part of said upper and lower halves of said body, there being a compression spring between each torpedo and the rearwardly-closed end of the associated passage and secured in the outrigger, there being a trigger formed of flexible material for each outrigger and the lower half of each outrigger having a cavity receiving the associated trigger, and each torpedo having a medial annular groove and each trigger having a lug positioned in their annular groove whereby when the compression spring in each outrigger is compressed as the associated torpedo is forced thereagainst in loading, the annular groove becomes engaged with the assOciated trigger lug to secure the torpedo until release, and whereby the torpedoes are fired by flexing of the triggers withdrawing said lugs from said annular grooves.
 11. The subject matter of claim 1 in which there is a cabin formed at the forward portion of the upper half of said body and there are openings in said cabin for ingress of water into said cabin having the position and shapes of cabin windows, and in which the forward end of said body has a protruding vertical flange representing a nose blade for ramming other vessels.
 12. The subject matter of claim 1 in which the tail of said body has a vertical stabilizer, a pair of horizontal stabilizers and a lower depending fin.
 13. The subject matter of claim 12 in which at least part of said stabilizers have an adjustable flap for directing travel of said body when propelled.
 14. The subject matter of claim 13 in which it is the horizontal stabilizers that have flaps, each flap being a portion of the trailing edge of one of said horizontal stabilizers which is separated at its ends from the remainder of said horizontal stabilizer to free the flap for movement, and each flap having a reduced thickness on a line spaced from said trailing edges thereby forming an integral hinge for flexing the flaps, and the vertical tail component formed by said vertical stabilizer and fin having protruding bosses to catch the adjacent ends of said flaps to secure the flaps in adjusted positions.
 15. The subject matter of claim 1 in which said body has a density less than one whereby flotation of said body is achieved. 